‘Unnecessary’: New South Australia curriculum blasted after more than $40m cost to implement it revealed

South Australia is spending $44m to adapt the national school curriculum for our state – and a former education minister says it’s a waste of money … even though it doesn’t cost extra. Have your say.

South Australia should be putting resources towards implementing the new national curriculum rather than rewriting a more than $40m adapted version which focuses on skills such as resilience and empathy, the former education minister has said.

Opposition education spokesman and former minister John Gardner labelled the new curriculum “a waste” after it was revealed in an estimates committee hearing to cost more than $44m over three years to implement.

Education Department chief executive Professor Martin Westwell said the adapted curriculum comes at no extra cost. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

However, Education Department chief executive Professor Martin Westwell said the adapted curriculum would come at “no extra cost” to implementing the Australian Curriculum and there was “no significant work” started on it before work on the SA version began.

Department staff were reassigned to adapt the Australian Curriculum version nine, rather than adopting and implementing it, Education Minister Blair Boyer said in response to questioning in the committee hearing.

It came after, in April 2022, education ministers across the country approved version nine of the Australian Curriculum which included a stronger focus on essential mathematical concepts, a priority on Australian history within a global context and explicit teaching of consent.

Education Minister Blair Boyer announced the adapted curriculum in May. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

In May, Mr Boyer announced a state-based adaptation which would focus on qualities such as resilience and empathy and teach students life skills, in addition to core subjects such as literacy and numeracy.

“I’m proud of our focus to improve academic results and performance in NAPLAN with a stronger curriculum,” Mr Boyer said.

Mr Gardner blasted the decision to create an adapted state version rather than support teachers to adopt the new Australian Curriculum.

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said the adapted curriculum is “a waste”. Picture: NewsWire / Ben Clark

“Prior to this decision the curriculum team employed in the department was busy creating resources for teachers to help them deliver the (previous) Australian Curriculum in our classrooms,” said Mr Gardner, who was education minister under the previous government from 2018 to 2022.

“The feedback we’ve had from teachers and principals was that this work was valued – especially by early career teachers.”

Resources to implement the previous versions of the national curriculum under the former government included sample lesson plans and scope and sequence documents were provided to teachers.

Mr Gardner said the decision “would leave a lot of South Australians scratching their heads and asking ‘why?’”

Prof Westwell said adaptation of the Australian Curriculum “will ensure students develop strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, while also receiving a rounded education”.

Preparation for the new adapted curriculum has involved 42 department staff from its curriculum and learning division, including 24 seconded teachers.

Of the staff, 39 were already employed to prepare curriculum resources.

More than 1400 SA public school teachers and leaders shared their views on the curriculum through focus groups and feedback sessions.

Originally published as ‘Unnecessary’: New South Australia curriculum blasted after more than $40m cost to implement it revealed